Memorial Day 2016

Today is Memorial Day. For many, the three day Memorial Day holiday weekend marks the end of the school year and the beginning of summer, let the camping, vacations, barbecues and beach trips begin! Now there’s nothing wrong with having some fun this weekend, but Memorial Day is much more than just another day off. For the last 41 years the Memorial Day national holiday has been celebrated on the last Monday of May. With the creation of this much heralded three day weekend the true meaning of Memorial Day seems to have gotten lost in the hype.

For countless Americans Memorial Day is perhaps the most important holiday celebrated in the United States and at least one of the top three along with Independence Day, and Veterans Day. I suppose it could be argued that the 4th of July is more important to our nation’s heritage, but I personally don’t think so, certainly winning our independence and forming a new nation founded on the rights and freedoms of the people are huge, but not as tremendous as the responsibility for protecting our country from threats both national and international. Simply put Memorial Day is a time to honor the men and woman who gave their lives defending our rights, liberties and freedom, in service to our country.

We owe our lives to these patriots who sacrificed their lives for the greater good. We are the country we are today because of them and we should not forget them, particularly today. So this afternoon while your outside relaxing, barbecuing and sipping your beer wine or cold ice tea in the warm California sun, don’t forget to take a moment or two to remember our fallen heroes. Today is about them, everything else is secondary. They died so that we could be free, they died for everyone of us. Make this Memorial Day truly memorable by spending at least a part of it as it was intended, honoring our dead heroes and ensuring that their sacrifices are never forgotten.